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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28192398">a reluctant development of problem-solving skills</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonburntmemory/pseuds/moonburntmemory'>moonburntmemory</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>ZKDrabbleDecember2020 [12]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Big Brother Sokka (Avatar), Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Iroh (Avatar) is a Good Uncle, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, hot stem major!katara, iroh the philosophy professor, poli sci major!zuko</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 22:21:14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,433</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28192398</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonburntmemory/pseuds/moonburntmemory</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Zuko's a political science major avoiding math and science courses at all costs, yet still manages to get caught up in organic chemistry. Katara's a total STEM junkie who can't decipher the nonsensical rambling of her philosophy professor to save her life. The solution to both of their problems seems simple but gets endlessly complicated.</p><p>Or: Sokka accidentally sets up his best friend and his sister.</p><p>Day 20: So Sublime</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Sokka &amp; Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>ZKDrabbleDecember2020 [12]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2037616</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>156</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>ZK Drabble December 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. an idiotic proposal</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>just a disclaimer: this plays fast and loose with the prompt. sublimation in chemistry has nothing to do with the adjective sublime, and yet i do not care.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"I'm going to fail organic chemistry and it's all Sokka's fault," Zuko groaned, collapsing onto the library table, crushing several unfinished assignments in the process.</p><p>"Hey!" Suki protested, tugging at a piece of lined paper resting underneath Zuko's arm.</p><p>"Dude, get off of my sketchbook! You're gonna smudge the charcoal drawings," Aang warned, lifting up one of Zuko's arms to retrieve his collection of drawings.</p><p>Toph, who had been occupied with a bowl of noodles she'd plucked from the table before Zuko's dramatic collapse and impersonation of a dying sea lion, merely chuckled. "What the hell did Snoozles do to get <em>you, </em>of all people, to fail a class?"</p><p>"It's not my-" Sokka started before being interrupted.</p><p>"It<em> is</em> your fault. I didn't want to take the stupid class in the first place. I'm a political science major; the entire point of my life is to avoid math and stem classes. But Mr. Nerdy-Tech 'I like to play with robots' here insisted it would be fine if he gave me his notes from summer school," Zuko ranted, ignoring all attempts to expel him from the tabletop.</p><p>"Those were great notes, Sozin. I don't know what you're talking about," Sokka shot back with a petulant sip from his coffee cup that left him with a latte foam moustache.</p><p>"No, <em>Kuruk, </em>they're illegible. And for the sublimation lab, WHICH I FAILED, they're completely wrong!"</p><p>"Cool your beans, dude. You're not gonna fail the course just because of one bad lab," Sokka insisted, licking the residue of moustache off of his face in a torturously slow manner.</p><p>Zuko flipped over to make face-to-face contact with the wood of the table beneath him. "Yes, I am. Wu doesn't give extra credit. Unless- Oh Agni, I'm gonna have to sleep with her to fix my grade, aren't I?"</p><p>Toph snorted. "I hate to break it to you, but I don't think she's into you that way, Zuko."</p><p>"My life is over and it's all your fault, Sokka. My GPA's blood is on your hands!" Zuko cried, finally submitting to Aang and Suki's prodding and into a seat. </p><p>"Zuko, I think you need to relax. There's a yoga class later today that would do you a lot of good. You should come with me," Aang suggested, looking up from his new sketching endeavor: a rendition of Zuko, pancake-style on the table.</p><p>"Wow, that's really good and you captured my ass perfectly, "Zuko commented at the drawing of him in progress, "but I don't think yoga can help me. The only thing that could help me now is a time machine so I can go back and prevent Sokka's parents from ever meeting so they can't create the stem-spawn sitting before us and I'll never experience the peer pressure to join organic chemistry and my GPA will be safe again," Zuko rambled, all in one breath.</p><p>"Wow, I think that's a new world record for the longest time without a breath," Suki remarked, returning to her math homework.</p><p>"I don't think you're gonna wanna back-to-the-future that, Zuko, my dude. Because that would also be erasing the solution to your problem," Sokka grinned devilishly, picking some lint off of his navy blue hoodie.</p><p>"What's that supposed to mean? I'm the one who's supposed to be cryptic and impossible to get a straight answer out of, not you. Spit it out," Zuko eyed him suspiciously.</p><p>"Well, since you asked s<em>o very nicely,</em> I'll tell you. My little sister happens to be in the same class as you and is amazing at orgo. But she's having an extremely difficult time with philosophy and your uncle. You see where I'm going with this?"</p><p>"Wait, there's more of you? It's not just one science, technology, engineering, and math freak in the family? There are techno-twins?" Zuko gasped.</p><p>"Yes, and her name is Katara. If anyone can save your GPA without having to fuck the MILF known as Professor Wu, it's her," Sokka winked.</p><p>"Help from an underclassman? And one related to you, nonetheless? That's your grand solution, the absolution of your crimes against humanity?" Zuko questioned, rolling his eyes.</p><p>Sokka grabbed the collar of his maroon sweater. "Yes, it is, you over-glorified English major. Besides, what do you have against underclassmen?"</p><p>"Yeah, what's so bad about underclassmen, you snob?" Toph taunted, flicking an elastic hair tie onto his wrist.</p><p>"Y-ouch! N-nothing, Toph. It's just going to be weird getting help from Sokka's<em> little </em>sister, is all," Zuko backtracked, hoping it would be enough to save him from the blind girl's wrath.</p><p>"Hmmm, that's what I thought," she smiled innocently.</p><p>"She'd kill you for saying that, but I promise it won't be that bad. If it makes you feel better, we're nothing alike. She's no fun at all; right up your alley," Sokka offered, starting to type on his computer.</p><p>"Thanks," Zuko deadpanned, dropping his head into his hands.</p><p>"Oh, stop being melodramatic, you asshole. Seriously, it's not a big deal. I was gonna have to ask you to tutor her in Iroh's class anyways, so at least this way, she won't feel so bad," Sokka added with would've sounded like almost a hint of sincerity, if Zuko didn't know any better.</p><p>"It'll be fine, Zuko. Katara's actually really nice, despite the bad rep Sokka's giving her," Aang insisted, leading to reluctant groaning by Zuko.</p><p>"Fine, I'll do it. But if anything goes wrong, I am smothering you in your sleep, Sokka," Zuko warned.</p><p>"Impossible. You don't have a key to my apartment," Sokka countered, sticking his tongue out.</p><p>Zuko reached into his pocket, pulling out the shining piece of metal to wave in Sokka's face. The other boy's loud sputtering and protests were reward enough for revealing Suki's treachery. "Says who?"</p><p>***</p><p>Zuko uncomfortably leaned against the doorframe of the science lab on a weekend, for Agni's sake. What kind of girl was Sokka's sister to <em> voluntarily </em>spend extra time in the science building on a weekend?!?!?!</p><p>Still, this was where Sokka had told him to meet her, so Zuko was here on time. The same could not be said for his sister. Growing impatient, Zuko started to tap his foot rapidly against the wall and contemplate whether or not to leave a colorful voicemail for Sokka.</p><p>Just then, the door to the building swung open and he was met by a woman sharing Sokka's deep-toned skin and blue eyes, although hers were lined with smoky black lines. Her eyes, larger and rounder than Sokka's, were also obscured underneath a pair of rimmed glasses, which she promptly pushed up to rest in her hair. The sibling resemblance also extended to her style of clothing, as she wore the same cool-toned color scheme her brother favored but in the form of a dress and leggings. She was as obviously pretty as Sokka was handsome (not that Zuko would ever let the other boy know he thought so for fear of an ego boost so great he'd float off of campus like a helium balloon).</p><p>A moment of silence passed between them before she flipped her chestnut hair not contained by tiny braids draped around the crown of her head securing beads, and scanned over him with an unimpressed gaze. Any previous notice of her undeniable beauty was quickly banished by frustration and rising pettiness.</p><p>"Katara, right? You're 15 minutes late," Zuko greeted with an admittedly snippy tone.</p><p>"Zuko, I assume. And I'm not late; we switched the time to 5:15," Katara shot back with a frown and raised eyebrows. Where had the 'nice' girl Aang had gushed about gone? This certainly wasn't her. Maybe there was an evil techno-triplet that had secretly assumed her place and Sokka just hadn't noticed.</p><p>The only positive aspect of their encounter so far was that Katara hadn't let any expression regarding the discovery of Zuko's scar reach her face. He figured Sokka had probably warned her.</p><p>This wasn't the time to fight, so Zuko gritted his teeth and exhaled loudly. "Nevermind and forget I said anything. I don't want to be doing this any more than you do, but we have a lot to go over today if you're going to pass the unit test on Monday."</p><p>Katara narrowed her eyes but begrudgingly gave a little nod. "Fine. Let's get started."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. an uneasy acceptance</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Katara blew a loose strand of hair out of her eyes and huffed. “Did this Descartes dude eat too many special rice krispie treats or something? Why was he so paranoid about existing?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zuko rolled his eyes. “That’s not the point. You’re starting to sound like Sokka. What was important was his questioning of self and the nature of consciousness.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Judging by the disapproving look she shot him, Katara didn’t like being compared to her brother. “He’s thinking too hard. Why can’t he just accept that he exists through scientific observations of the world around him?” Katara groaned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s his point: can you even trust your senses?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, I can. You and him are dumb not to,” Katara replied, daring Zuko to contest her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright, you can put that in, but don’t come crying to me when you fail the assignment,” Zuko warned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re supposed to be helping me! You’re not helping me!” Katara protested.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I am helping you; you’re just not absorbing any of my help!” Zuko shot back as she took another sip from her flask of tea.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’ve been at this for half an hour and I only have 183 words. At this rate, I’m never going to finish,” Katara lamented.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You can always plagiarize my essay from freshman year and be expelled,” Zuko offered, annoyance creeping into his voice.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Enough from you,” she said with a patronizing smile. “How’s that practice problem coming along?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I hate you and everything your major represents,” Zuko deadpanned, collapsing onto the lined paper containing all of the reminders of his failure as a productive member of society.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Likewise, but come on. I don’t get why you hate STEM so much. It has a bad rep, but it’s really not that bad. At least there’s right answers, unlike all of this humanities bullshit. Everything’s so subjective that there aren’t any right answers, yet I still get 60s on my presentations,” Katara pouted, crossing her arms against the fluffy down her periwinkle jacket.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zuko raised his eyebrows. “Really? Iroh’s giving you D’s? I mean, I knew you sucked at this but I didn’t know you sucked that bad.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Katara threw a pencil that hit his forearm. “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zuko grimaced as he realized how harsh he’d sounded from the frown forming on Katara’s face. “Okay, I didn’t mean it like that. But how can you, a freshman, be acing a class that I, a junior, am failing and have such a hard time with Philosophy 101, of all things?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “I dunno. I guess my brain just isn’t wired that way. I could balance equations for days but every essay assigned in English class almost kills me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Weird, I’m the opposite. Everytime I walk into the math building, I’m ready to wave my underwear around on a stick,” Zuko joked lightly, eliciting a small giggle from Katara. She had the same magnetic quality as Sokka when she smiled, but ten times more beautiful. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve read some of your articles in the school paper. They’re really good,” she said with a genuine smile that made Zuko’s heart start to beat faster in his chest.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks. I didn’t know anyone still read the school paper.” Zuko’s nonchalance was entirely feigned, but she seemed to believe it. “I’m sure all of that pales in comparison to the accomplishments of the techno-twins.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is that what you’re calling me and Sokka now?” Katara asked with a wide grin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, but mostly to make fun of Sokka,” Zuko explained.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, if you ever want to tease him, make sure you bring up the fact that we used to alternate as regional coding champions every year of high school back home.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zuko almost choked on air at the revelation. “Spirits, I see why Sokka never let the two of us meet before. We’re too powerful combined. With my ability to insult him and your knowledge of every embarrassing thing he’s ever done, we could destroy him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Next time he tries to rat me out to our parents, I’ll make sure to call you,” Katara giggled, touching her hand gently to his.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I guess we’ll have to rely on each other to take down Sokka on top of getting help in our weak subjects, huh?” Zuko questioned, a hint of nervousness rising in his voice.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, I guess we will.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zuko nodded. “Well, I’m glad there’ll be someone to call the next time I’m having a coffee-fueled breakdown over a math test at three in the morning. That’s always a good thing, right?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sokka said you’re a poli sci major. All those stats classes must be rough if you have such a hard time with math,” Katara sympathized, her eyes warming despite their earlier coldness. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Eh, stats aren't so bad. It’s logic and reasoning and graphs, not that crazy stuff with the triangles that can’t get their shit together. But Sokka raves home about me, huh?” Zuko teased her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She blushed scarlet. “I, uh, might’ve asked about you. Just to, uh, know who’d be tutoring me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zuko attempted to suppress the shit-eating grin creeping onto his face. “Oh yeah? What’d he say? All good things, I hope.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He said you’re insufferable, talk too much, and wax poetic about boba tea every chance you get,” Katara said matter-of-factly, counting each trait with her fingers.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wow. That hurts.” Zuko deadpanned, causing her to laugh again. It was such a clear sound, like a bell ringing through the air after one of Aang’s riverside meditations Zuko had been forced to attend. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But he also said you’re kind of a genius with words. And that you’re gonna be some sort of fancy, slimy lawyer one day,” Katara added sheepishly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I would be mad that my best friend was slandering me, but all of those things are true,” Zuko admitted with a grin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Really? Let me guess; you’re gonna be one of those hippy-dippy ones that wear flip-flops into court. I can’t imagine you as one of those soul-sucking mosquitoes working for Monsanto or something.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zuko managed a laugh. “Yeah, I can tell you’ve definitely been hanging out with Sokka. And I don’t know if I’ll be wearing flip-flops to court, but I definitely don’t want to get involved with any big corporations.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her eyes shone in the afternoon light filtering through the surrounding trees. “That’s really admirable.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Says you. I only heard about you the other day, but according to your brother, you’re gonna be the next Jonas Salk or something. Sokka talks about you like his genius kid-sister is going to save the world. And after meeting you, I believe him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Katara held his gaze for a moment too long before shifting her cerulean eyes to the wooden table between them. After a few moments spent in awkward silence, she spoke again. “Uh, that’s really sweet. Thanks. Anyway, we should get back to work. If I want to finish my essay within the century, I have a long way to go.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Make sure you add a comparison to a philosopher from the old units with similar views. Iroh eats that stuff up,” Zuko advised, speaking from experience.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks, that’s good advice. But I do miss the old units; everything was simpler back then. These new dead white guys are all so boring. It’s a shame; no more stories about Diogenes running around with plucked chickens,” Katara sighed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zuko chuckled in agreement. “Yeah, but just wait. It’ll get more interesting when the philosophers stop being </span>
  <em>
    <span>all</span>
  </em>
  <span> old dead white guys.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just most of ‘em, right?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, just most of them,” Zuko parroted, forgetting why he was even in the library as he stared at the braids contained in her messy bun.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She continued to duck her face into her computer screen and resumed typing, as evidenced by the incessant clacking of her keyboard. After a few moments of uninterrupted glances, she finally looked up again. “So, how’s the chem coming along?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zuko gestured to the textbook open in front of him and gibberish inscribed on its pages. “This isn’t even English! Literally! It's all Greek symbols and nothing makes any sense! You and Sokka are literally robots.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Katara pushed her round-rimmed glasses farther up the bridge of her nose. “C’mon, let’s just go through your work and see where you went wrong.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Everywhere! Everywhere is where I went wrong. I think I’ll just fail the class and call it a day. Maybe take a nap in a pond or something.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Katara did not look impressed. “You can do this, Zuko. You’re a smart guy; you just need to keep trying.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I assure you, I am an absolute moron when anything technical is involved. I used most of the time allotted for the math sections of the SAT to nap, Katara,” Zuko protested, wringing his hands.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She suppressed the beginnings of a smile and doubled down on her “responsibility” angle. “See? That’s the problem? You say you’re awful and don’t even try. How are you gonna get better if you’re such a scaredy cat and give up every time just because you’re not good at something?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zuko feigned physical pain to match the emotional anguish she’d inflicted. “Wow, you really went in for the kill, there.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, because I used to be like that with all of this,” she gestured towards the pile of textbooks for all of the fine arts classes she was taking. “But that mindset only held me back.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s like staring at a funhouse mirror that makes you look like you were run over by a semi-truck… But I guess you’re right. I need to pull up my suspenders and get to work.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Katara beamed at him in a way that Zuko figured he’d do anything to please her from this point forward. He would pass organic chemistry not for his own gain, but because letting Katara down would be akin to being battered and deep-fried alive. “Okay, then, let’s get started.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. an obvious solution</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Zuko had only known Katara for approximately two weeks when he woke up to the text from his uncle. This was the reason that he banged his elbow against his headboard so hard he was considering amputation of the limb when he read the little blue bubble.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In bold letters seared into his brain like grill marks in a steak, his uncle immortalized his embarrassment. </span>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <span>This Katara must be very special for you to be helping out a freshman on an essay.</span>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <span>There was even a thumbs-up emoji that arrived a full minute later, which meant his uncle had likely spent time scrolling the lists of emojis looking for that. Zuko didn't know whether he wanted to frame a picture of Iroh on his refrigerator or legally disown him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He cursed the pain reverberating through his forearm. He wanted to hurl the phone across his bedroom but thought better of it. He didn’t think he would survive the embarrassment of having broken two phones to his violently erratic pitching arm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zuko had suspected that Iroh would catch on to his influence in Katara’s newly submitted essay. He did have a very distinct writing style that had been conveyed to Katara via more study sessions and texts, alongside many recycled ideas from his time taking the course. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It wasn’t like he was helping anyone cheat or abusing his familial proximity to a university professor. He’d taken the class himself and was merely helping to tutor a friend. Still, he shouldn’t be surprised that Iroh had taken an interest in the sudden reversal of his previous policy regarding assistance for his uncle’s philosophy course. Going from “I will never help any of those weepy freshmen, no matter what they’re willing to pay” to “Yes, Katara” overnight was a rather radical change.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sent a hasty reply text to Iroh but knew it would only act as damage control. Eventually, his uncle would find out and be overly supportive to the point Zuko would want to submerge his head in a bowl of jello and never resurface.</span>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <span>i don’t know what you’re talking about i have never even interacted with the opposite sex</span>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <span>also please remember to eat healthy and keep your cholesterol low.</span>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <span>Zuko’s face was consumed by deeply etched dimples formed from his frown that crept deeper into scowling territory with each passing second. It persevered as he started to boil the noodles for pre-packaged kimchi ramen. Nor could it be deterred by breathing in the fragrant steam of a hulking mug full of black coffee.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The only thing that could deter it was the telltale ringtone of a text from Katara. He couldn’t help but break out in an unabashed grin when he was the little words on the screen.</span>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <span>Good luck on the O-chem test today! I know you can fo it!</span>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <span>**do Damn it I hate autocorrect with a passion</span>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <span>He couldn’t help but laugh softly as the image of her face scrunched up in anger over her phone filled his mind. For all of Katara’s brilliance in dealing with technology, it did not extend into her texting skills whatsoever.</span>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <span>thanks and i know your essay results are going to be great. don’t sweat it</span>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <span>He tried to temper his excitement in his response and was rather satisfied with how it turned out. Her period would take the same test tomorrow, but she wasn’t worried about that. The big source of suspense in her life was the graded pass-backs of her recently submitted essay for philosophy. Zuko didn’t doubt that Iroh would score her below a B- based on his proofreading, but Katara wouldn’t accept his assurances. Her claims of Zuko harboring ‘extreme bias’ pervaded their conversations over text and in-person.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Their frequent bickering had resulted in a friendly wager. If Katara scored above an 85, she had to buy him a boba tea. If she scored below that, he would have to carry her around campus on his shoulders for an entire day. He didn’t quite see how this was a fair arrangement, but he’d been too busy staring at her hands to protest when they’d made it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zuko eventually trudged his way out of his apartment and over to the science lab. Plopping down into a cold plastic seat, all of the existential dread accumulating in his stomach threatened to send him down like a leaking rowboat. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Upon opening the test booklet, it was miraculously expelled. Zuko’s eyes widened at the realization that he knew how to do some of these problems. He silently thanked the unseen powers at work, mostly Katara.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zuko managed to finish almost all of the test by the time the TA announced that their time was up and was even confident that a good portion of his answers was correct. This was an amazing feat and he made a mental note to send both Katara and Sokka fruit baskets. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’d hadn’t been so unafraid of failing organic chemistry since the start of the semester. It was almost as if he was floating the entire way back to his apartment. He somehow managed to send a text to Sokka in the daze.</span>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <span>your sister is a miracle worker. i now have a favorite kuruk sibling and it isn’t you, buddy.</span>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <span>A few moments later, Sokka replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <span>i’m increbdilyly offended and u’ll need to kiss up to me fo like a gazilion years before i forgive you but good job on the ochem test asshole</span>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <span>As usual, Sokka’s texts were difficult to decipher but heartfelt in their meaning. Zuko was smiling like a fool with his phone shoved two inches shoved into his face when he arrived back at his apartment complex and started to climb the stairs to the third floor. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was attempting to find the words to thank Katara for all of her invaluable assistance when he rounded the corner of the stairwell into his hallway and saw her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was standing in front of his door with two boba teas with the straws laying flat over the sealed tops in hand, grinning widely as he approached her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>‘Uh, hi, Katara. W-what are you doing here?” Zuko greeted through his shock, “I was just about to text you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She grabbed a slightly crumpled piece of paper from her open burlap bag and held it up for him to see. “You won the bet! I passed!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stepped in even closer to her to read the bright red ink encircling a score of 86 scribbled onto the cardstock of her title page. “Congratulations, Katara! I knew you could do it!” Zuko exclaimed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She leaped onto him, bringing her boba drinks to rest on his shoulders as he wrapped her arms around his neck tightly. ‘This is the highest grade I’ve gotten on a major assignment all semester! I can’t thank you enough!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zuko gently returned the hug and smiled sheepishly. “I should be thanking you, too, though. I took the o-chem test today and I’m pretty sure I passed because of you. I actually knew how to do the problems for once,” he laughed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She pulled apart from him and beamed. “Really? You think you did well?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We won’t get the results back until next week, but I think so.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s amazing, Zuko. I know we got off to a rough start, but we’re an amazing team. I’m so glad Sokka made us work together. I’m so glad I met you,” Katara gushed, eyes widening as she said the last part. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was an awkwardly silent pause as her words registered with both of them. Zuko smiled at her wide, expectant blue eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am, too,” Zuko agreed softly as she stared at him, their noses almost touching due to the proximity of their hug. A few moments passed filled with uncertainty and doubt before they both leaned in and let their lips meet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The kiss tasted of spearmint gum and White Rabbit candy as both of them were engulfed in each other. Sokka’s inevitable screaming reaction or any other consequences were as menial as the incessant bickering of the past.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Katara rose to the tips of her toes and Zuko wrapped his arms around her, she let the milk tea fall to the floor. Nothing beyond the two of them mattered in the slightest.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>yet another modern au. yet another multi-chap fic that will have to wait until after drabble december to recieve any attention or love. is anyone surprised?</p><p>also, i am totally zuko in this fic. i love anything to do with the humanities, but will hiss and die the second math or science touches me.i can totally see him as a poli sci major who gets the hot, lab-coat and goggles-wearing stem bitch, so voila! let's give katara some technical knowledge and scientific reasoning! </p><p>thanks for kudosing, reading, and commenting! everyone in this fandom has been amazing and i'm super grateful to all of you!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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